COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State men’s hockey team opens the 2014-15 campaign with an exhibition game vs. Guelph at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Value City Arena. The result and statistics from the game will not be included in the Buckeyes’ season totals.

Live stats from the game will be available on GameTracker through OhioStateBuckeyes.com. Scarlet and Gray Sports Radio, Ohio State’s online student-run radio station, is expected to broadcast the game on ohiostatesports.net.

Buckeye Hockey Fan Day Saturday Saturday morning, Ohio State will host Buckeye Hockey Fan Day in Value City Arena. The free event begins at 9:30 a.m., with fans invited to watch the first official practice of the 2014-15 season. From 11-11:30 there will be locker room tours and a meet and greet, followed by a fan press conference from 11:30 a.m.-noon. The building will remain open until the exhibition game, with food and drink specials available in The Board Room on ice level, until the exhibition game. The Ohio State at Maryland game will be shown on the video board in the arena bowl, as well as on televisions in The Board Room. All fans who attend Fan Day will receive free admission to the exhibition game that day.

Regular Season a Week Away The Buckeyes open the regular season with a three-game homestand. Ohio State begins the regular season next weekend, hosting No. 3-ranked Providence at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday (Oct. 10-11) in Value City Arena. No. 11 Miami comes to town the following Friday (Oct. 17) before the Buckeyes and RedHawks wrap the home-and-home series in Oxford Oct. 18.

It’s Official Saturday marks the first official day of practice for Division I men’s hockey teams around the country. The Buckeyes have been holding captains practices, working with strength and conditioning coach Brian Unverferth and going on the ice with the coaches for a limited number of hours each week.

Four Buckeyes Recognized by B1G Four Buckeyes were tabbed as Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch, the Big Ten Conference announced at the league’s Media Day at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit Sept. 24. Buckeye senior forward Tanner Fritz, a 2013 All-CCHA pick, was joined by sophomores and 2014 Big Ten All-Freshman Team selections defensemen Drew Brevig, goalie Christian Frey and forward Nick Schilkey as conference players to watch heading into the 2014-15 campaign in a vote by the league’s six head coaches. Ohio State ranked second with four players on the 16-player team, with Minnesota first with five selections. Each league team placed at least one player on the list.

Fritz, Jardine Voted Team Captains Senior Tanner Fritz is serving as the Buckeyes’ captain this season after wearing an “A” as an alternate captain a season ago. Junior Sam Jardine dons the “A” for the squad this year. The duo was selected in a vote by their teammates. Fritz and Jardine (along with head coach Steve Rohlik) represented Ohio State at Big Ten Media Day in Detroit Sept. 24. For photos and more from media day, visit: go.osu.edu/14B1Gptw.

Coming to a TV Near You During the 2014-15 Big Ten campaign, at least 13 Ohio State games will be televised, with contests airing on BTN, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, SportsTime Ohio, FOX Sports Detroit and FOX Sports North. Of the Buckeyes’ 10 conference two-game series, nine will have at least one game televised. Six broadcasts will originate from Columbus, with seven Ohio State road games from four schools slated to be televised. Games from Value City Arena not scheduled to be televised will be streamed through either the Buckeye Vision or BTN Plus subscription packages. Links to streams will be available on the men’s hockey schedule page on OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

The University of Guelph is located in Guelph, Ontario, and the hockey team competes in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) league. The squad’s season ended in the OUA West quarterfinals last season, with a final record of 12-12-4. The squad, which swept a series at Nipissing last weekend, has a game vs. York Friday before traveling for the game vs. the Buckeyes.

Ohio State vs. Providence Games part of B1G/Hockey East ChallengeFor the second year in a row, the Big Ten/Big East Challenge will be contested. Nine of 12 Hockey East will join five of the six Big Ten schools in 20 designated games to be played between Oct. 10 and Nov. 29, with 10 games in Big Ten venues and 10 in Hockey East arenas. Ohio State’s two home games vs. Providence next week are included in the challenge.

Who’s Back Ohio State returns 19 letterwinners from a season ago, including nine forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies. Senior Tanner Fritz is the leading returning scorer after posting 32 points, tying for the team high with 24 assists, a season ago. Senior Nick Oddo had 30 points, with nine goals and 21 assists, last year, while sophomore Nick Schilkey was among the rookie scoring leaders in the Big Ten with 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points. Sophomore goalies Christian Frey (2.27 gaa, .929 sv%), Matt Tomkins (2.78 gaa, .911 sv%) and Logan Davis (2.21 gaa, .909 sv%) all saw game action as rookies last year.

Behind the Bench Steve Rohlik is in his second year at the helm of the Buckeyes, joined by associate head coach Brett Larson and assistant coach Joe Exter. Rohlik is in his fifth full season on the Buckeye staff, while Larson is in his second year with the Scarlet and Gray and Exter is in his fourth year with the program.